MICROHABITATS OF AEDES ALBOPICTUS (SKUSE) IN THE PARAIBA VALLEY REGION OF THE STATE OF SAO-PAULO, BRAZIL

The objective of this study was the determination of extent of the spacial distribution of Aedes albopictus in the Paraiba River Valley, State S. Paulo, Brazil. Thus, collections of larvae and pupae mosquitoes were carried out at six sites distributed along a transection with a 10-km extension. The target was the treeholes but artificial containers were also used in this investigation. Aedes terrens and Ae. albopictus were the only species of genus Aedes present in the treeholes mentioned. The segregation of seven species of the treehole community was undertaken in the light of macrohabitat and microhabitat features. Thus, the distribution of Ae. albopictus was found to cover the rural, rural-urban and urban zones, but the rural-urban held the preference. Ae. albopictus never present in the residual and primary forest. The favorable, factor to infestation with Ae. albopictus in the Paraiba Valley seems to have been the large number of natural niches made vacant by human influence. The rain has been important in the production of larvae and pupae, but the rainfall period does not coincide with the maximum production on them. The treeholes whose volume exceeded 600 ml were the most productive breeding places. The abundance of these two stages occurs in the summer and autumn. However, the highest peak was observed in the months of March and April. These seasonal variations were found to be common in both the bamboo trap and the artificial container. The temperature data suggest a limit of from 17 to 23-degrees-C for the best development of larvae. In the light of this, the strain of Ae. albopictus studied seems to have originated in tropical Asia. Just as happened with Ae. aegypti it may become an important epidemiological vector for the dengue fever and provide links for yellow fever transmission in Brazil.